מִיכָיָה
𐤌𐤉𐤊𐤉𐤄
Mikhayah
H4320 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
Personal name meaning 'Who is like YH?', typically rendered 'Who is like YHWH?' This theophoric name expresses a rhetorical question, implying that no one is comparable to Israel’s deity. Used exclusively as a personal name for multiple individuals in the Hebrew Bible, including prophets and other notable Israelites.
Semantic Range
personal name 'Who is like YHWH?'; rhetorical theological question; theophoric/faith-expression in a name
Root / Etymology
Derived from the interrogative pronoun מִי (mi, 'who?'), the comparative particle כְּ (kə, 'like, as'), contracted here as -כָ-, and the theophoric element יָהּ (Yah, short form of YHWH). The name is a composite, following a frequent pattern in Israelite personal names to express devotion, praise, or theological statements.
Historical & Contextual Notes
מִיכָיָה (Mîkāyāh) is one of several Hebrew personal names that form the question 'Who is like [deity]?' expressing the incomparability of YHWH. This structure appears in related names such as מִיכָה (Mikah, 'Who is like [him]?') and מִיכָאֵל (Mikha'el, 'Who is like God?'). Distinct from non-theophoric names by its inclusion of יָהּ. The name appears during the monarchic period for both prophets and laypersons and does not reflect a title or description but a proper name. English translations sometimes contract or modify the name as Michaiah or Micajah, but these are transliterations rather than translations. The name should not be confused with מִיכָה (Micah), which does not include the theophoric element, though there is overlap in English renderings. The presence of the theophoric element is significant for understanding Israelite naming conventions and religious beliefs. Later Jewish and Christian traditions associate forms of the name with specific figures, but in the Hebrew Bible the usage is broader and not limited to one individual.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
from מִי and (the prefix derivative from) כִּי and יָהּ; who (is) like Jah?; Micajah, the name of two Israelites; Micah, Michaiah. Compare מִיכָה.
Bantu Hebrew
No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been submitted for this word yet.
+ Add Bantu Hebrew WordRoot Family
מי־כ־יה (m-y-k-yh) — who, like, YHWH
Word Forms
2 distinct forms
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H4320-01 |
מִיכָיָ֜ה | mikhayah | HNp |
Micaiah | Who is like Yah? | 3 |
H4320-02 |
מיכיה | mykhyh | HNp |
Micah | Who is like Yah? | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
4 total occurrences
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H4320-01 |
2 Kings 22:12 | מִיכָיָ֜ה | mikhayah | HNp |
Micaiah | Who is like Yah? |
H4320-02 |
Jeremiah 26:18 | מיכיה | mykhyh | HNp |
Micah | Who is like Yah? |
H4320-01 |
Nehemiah 12:35 | מִ֣יכָיָ֔ה | mikhayah | HNp |
Micaiah | Who is like Yah? |
H4320-01 |
Nehemiah 12:41 | מִיכָיָ֧ה | mikhayah | HNp |
Micaiah | Who is like Yah? |